Chullin 91b

חולין צ״א ע״ב

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Topic

Night travel for a תלמיד חכם, aggadot about יעקב, and the angels' שירה

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a list of פסוקים that teach one rule: a תלמיד חכם should not go out alone at night. The proofs come from בועז, אברהם, יעקב sending יוסף, and יעקב waiting for sunrise. That last פסוק, 'ויזרח לו השמש', leads רבי עקיבא to ask why the sun rose 'for him'. רבי יצחק answers that the sun had once set early just for יעקב, at the place where he went back to pray. The גמרא then retells that night: the stones that merged into one, the huge ladder with its angels, ה׳ standing over יעקב to protect him, and all of ארץ ישראל folded under him. Next it returns to יעקב wrestling the מלאך, who had to leave at dawn because his turn to sing had finally come. This supports רב's teaching that three groups of angels share the daily שירה. A ברייתא saying angels mention ה׳'s Name only after three words forces the גמרא to fix רב's wording. The amud ends with a new challenge from the angels' praise 'ברוך כבוד ה׳', where the Name comes after only two words.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. Proofבועז stayed overnight at the threshing floor
2. Proofרבי אבהו's source: אברהם waited until morning
3. Proofרבנן's source: יעקב sent יוסף by day
4. Proofרב's source: יעקב left only when the sun rose
5. Questionרבי עקיבא asks why the sun shone only 'for him'
6. ResponseThe sun that set for him rose for him
7. ProofThe land jumps so יעקב can return to pray
8. ProofGod makes the sun set early so יעקב stays
9. ChallengeStones or one stone?
10. ResolutionThe stones gathered, each wanting the צדיק's head
11. ConclusionAll the stones merged into one
12. QuestionHow wide was the ladder?
13. ResponseEight thousand parasangs, because four angels fit on it
14. ProofEach angel is the size of תרשיש
15. StatementThe angels look at יעקב's image, and ה׳ protects him
16. Statementריש לקיש: like a father fanning his son
17. QuestionWhy promise 'the land you lie on'?
18. ResponseAll of ארץ ישראל was folded under יעקב
19. QuestionThe angel asks to leave at dawn, and יעקב asks why
20. ResponseThe angel explains: his turn to sing has finally come
21. ProofThis supports רב: three groups of angels share the song
22. ChallengeObjection from a ברייתא: ישראל sing more often than angels
23. ChallengeThe ברייתא continues: angels say ה׳'s Name only after three words
24. ChallengeThe angels may not sing until ישראל sing first
25. ResolutionFixing the wording of רב's teaching
26. ChallengeA challenge from the angels' praise 'ברוך כבוד ה׳'